2014 Lighting and Lighting Controls Study: Lighting in office buildings

Read about these five key findings from the Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2014 Lighting and Lighting Controls Study.

By Amanda Pelliccione, CFE Media May 6, 2015

The Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2014 Lighting and Lighting Controls Study indicated that 77% of engineers specify, design, or make product selections for office buildings—and eight in 10 of these engineers are responsible for determining requirements/writing specifications, researching and evaluating options, and/or recommending the product brands for these projects. Below are five high-level findings impacting the lighting and lighting controls industries today as they relate to office building projects:

  1. Annual specified products value: The average engineering firm specifies $904,937 in total lighting and lighting control products for new and existing office buildings on a yearly basis. Twenty-nine percent of these firms specify more than $1 million in lighting products for office buildings annually.
  2. Products specified: Three in five engineers specify LEDs; T5, T8, or T12 fixtures; lighting controls; CFLs; and/or high-intensity discharge fixtures (HIDs) for office buildings.
  3. Changes affecting design, products: Within the past two years, 93% of office building designs have been heavily affected by changes to LED technologies and specifications. Nine in 10 engineers also reported that changes with energy efficient designs and energy consumption have been affecting their projects lately.
  4. Top challenges: Inadequate budget (78%), project delivery speed (60%), and interoperability and complementing systems (59%) are the three most difficult challenges for lighting engineering and design in office building projects.
  5. Design factors: When selecting lighting products for office buildings, engineers generally compare product quality (98%), energy efficiency (97%), initial cost (92%), and technical advantage (85%). While top sources for this information continue to be product information documents, reviews, and specifications, engineers are also regularly referencing codes and standards updates and industry new/trends online and in print publications.

View additional findings at www.csemag.com/2014LightingStudy.


Amanda Pelliccione is director of research for Consulting-Specifying Engineer and CFE Media.